Game Set
We've been devotees of all-American beef burger for years, but lately Lucky's Cafe chef and owner Heather Haviland has us questioning our loyalty with her lamb burger ($13.95). Inspired by a lamb sausage dish at Parker's New American Bistro where she used to work, Haviland set out to re-create it as a burger. "I was one of those people that lamb wasn't my favorite protein," she recalls. "But it just worked so well that I was a fan." Haviland fights lamb's gaminess with cilantro, and lemon and orange zest. She coats the patty in sweet Mongolian barbecue sauce, which caramelizes it, sealing in a blast of flavor. Haviland gets Greek on us by serving the burger tucked into made-to-order nan with feta cheese and tzatziki sauce made with cucumbers fresh from Lucky's garden. "It's just one of those dishes where it hits on all the marks," Haviland says. "Sweet, salty, fatty and something crunchy and fresh." 777 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland, 216-622-7773, luckyscafe.com
